One aspect relates to an electrical bushing for an implantable medical device having an annulus-like holding element for holding the electrical bushing in the implantable medical device, whereby the holding element includes a through-opening, at least one elongated conduction element extends through the through-opening, and an insulation element for forming a hermetic seal between the holding element and the conduction element is arranged in the through-opening. One aspect relates to a method for producing an electrical bushing for an implantable medical device.
DE 697 297 19 T2 describes an electrical bushing for an implantable electrical therapeutic device. Electrical bushings of this type serve to establish an electrical connection between a hermetically sealed interior and an exterior of said therapeutic device. Known implantable therapeutic devices include cardiac pacemakers or defibrillators, which usually include a hermetically sealed metal housing, which is provided with a connection body, also called header, on one side. Said connection body includes a connection socket for connecting electrode leads. In this context, the connection socket includes electrical contacts that serve to electrically connect electrode leads to the control electronics in the interior of the housing of the implantable therapeutic device—also called implantable device. An essential prerequisite for an electrical bushing of this type is hermetic sealing with respect to the surroundings.
Accordingly, it needs to be made sure that the conducting wires that are introduced into an insulation element and via which the electrical signals proceed, are introduced into the insulation element without any gaps. In this context, it has proven to be disadvantageous that the conducting wires in general are made of a metal and need to be introduced into a ceramic insulation element. In order to ensure long-lasting connection between the two elements, the internal surface of the bore hole in the insulation element must be metallized for soldering the conducting wires into them. Said metallization inside the bore hole in the insulation element has proven to be difficult to apply. Homogeneous metallization of the internal surface of the bore hole in the insulation element can be ensured only by means of expensive procedures.
Patent specification U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,874 describes an implantable electrical therapeutic device. Said therapeutic device includes a sealed area for a battery, whereby the area is provided with a coating. Said coating is to collect chemicals leaking from the battery. In this context, the coating can be made of a cermet.
For these and other reasons there is a need for the present invention.